Transforming the Landscape

Celebrating 50 years at the Henrietta campus

Throughout the 2018-2019 academic year, RIT will celebrate the growth of the campus we affectionately refer to as “Brick City.”

In 1968, the university moved from downtown Rochester – where it had been since 1885 – to farmland in the town of Henrietta. For the grand opening, the community got to tour the campus on a motorized tram and see exhibits that showcased features of the new buildings.

Fifty years later, RIT is celebrating this milestone with a year of activities. Highlighting the anniversary is a Henrietta campus dedication ceremony and downtown campus dedication ceremony during Brick City Homecoming & Family Weekend Oct. 19–21.

“With all that has happened since 1968, it is stunning to consider that the transformation is not complete,” said William A. Buckingham ’64 (business administration), chair emeritus of RIT’s Board of Trustees. “As we look back on how much has changed since we placed the first brick in Henrietta, the potential for RIT to be transformed and to continue to transform the lives of RIT family members, is awe-inspiring.”

Throughout the year, RIT will host “50 Acts of Kindness,” a series of programs and events that demonstrate how RIT Tigers give back to the Rochester and Henrietta community. In addition to blood drives and service projects, 300 members of the RIT community will package 50,000 meals to be distributed to local organizations, including Foodlink in Rochester and the RIT Food Share program, an on-campus organization that supports students experiencing food insecurity.

The celebration will culminate with a Futurists Symposium hosted at the Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival, held April 27, 2019. The event will showcase the future of technology and innovation, including what’s next at RIT.